Former India cricketer Mohammed Kaif has said that while Rishabh Pant is a great wicketkeeper, close to MS Dhoni‘s level, Sanju Samson has surpassed him in terms of selection for India’s white-ball squads. Ahead of the team announcement for the Champions Trophy, there have been widespread discussions about who will take the wicketkeeper’s slot for the tournament, with KL Rahul, Pant and Samson being in contention.

Kaif has shared his views on who among the three will make it into India’s squad for the Champions Trophy and how Samson has left Pant behind with his recent T20I performances.

Kaif mentioned that Pant’s brilliant skills behind the wicket see him close to Dhoni’s calibre but white-ball cricket batting might see Samson on a higher pedestal than Pant.

“Sanju Samson has gone ahead. You have to understand this. With Rishabh Pant, people have their emotions attached. He is a big match-winner in Tests. Who can forget his knock at the Gabba and the hundred in South Africa? He performs well in overseas conditions,” Kaif said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

“He is a good wicketkeeper. Rishabh Pant is a better wicketkeeper than Sanju Samson; he has almost reached the same level as MS Dhoni,” Kaif added.

The former India cricketer said that Pant needs to understand that his white-ball statistics are not that good as compared to Samson. Pant has scored 871 runs in 27 ODIs with just one hundred to his name. Samson, on the other hand, has scored 510 runs in 14 matches at a stunning average of 56.66.

“Rishabh Pant needs to recognise the reality. If someone tells him ‘wrong things are being done with you’, they are not telling the right things. Rishabh Pant should stay away from such friends. Someone needs to tell him that his white-ball stats are not that great,” Kaif said.